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Definition of excursion

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In Latin, the prefix ex- means "out of" and the verb currere means "to run." When the two are put together, they form the verb excurrere , literally "to run out" or "to extend." Excurrere gave rise not only to excursion but also to excurrent (an adjective for things having channels or currents that run outward) and excursus (meaning "an appendix or digression that contains further exposition of some point or topic"). Other words deriving from currere include corridor , curriculum , and among newer words, parkour .

Examples of excursion in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'excursion.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Latin excursion-, excursio , from excurrere

circa 1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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Dictionary Entries Near excursion

excursional

Cite this Entry

“Excursion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excursion. Accessed 3 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of excursion.

from Latin excursio, excursion- "a going out," from excurrere "to run out, make an excursion, extend," from ex- "out, forth" and currere "to run" — related to current

Medical Definition

Medical definition of excursion, more from merriam-webster on excursion.

Nglish: Translation of excursion for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of excursion for Arabic Speakers

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a short trip or outing to some place, usually for a special purpose and with the intention of a prompt return: a pleasure excursion; a scientific excursion.

a trip on a train, ship, etc., at a reduced rate: weekend excursions to mountain resorts.

the group of persons making such a journey: an excursion of tourists.

a deviation or digression: excursions into futile philosophizing.

Physics . the displacement of a body or a point from a mean position or neutral value, as in an oscillation.

an accidental increase in the power level of a reactor, usually forcing its emergency shutdown.

Machinery .

the range of stroke of any moving part.

the stroke itself.

Obsolete . a sally or raid.

to go on or take an excursion.

of, relating to, or intended for use on excursions: an excursion fare; an excursion bus.

Origin of excursion

Other words from excursion.

• ex·cur·sion·al, ex·cur·sion·ar·y, adjective
• pre·ex·cur·sion, noun

Words Nearby excursion

• exculpation
• exculpatory
• excursionist
• excursion ticket
• excurvature

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use excursion in a sentence

It’s important that your significant other or family is supportive, since your new obsession will likely become all-consuming, and most of your outdoor excursions will now revolve around searching for animal poop in the woods.

Insulated, waterproof footwear like the Paninaro Omni-Heat Tall Boot will go a long way in making your snow bike or snowshoe excursion a treat rather than a trial.

More time outdoors has been great for dialing in our kit for weekend excursions.

The thought of being able to knock out a three-day excursion with just a single carry-on is tantalizing.

I’ve spent the past two months testing the pack on a handful of short camp-outs and a seven-day family surf excursion , and the SEG42 delivered the organization I desperately needed.

It is disappointing and, frankly, frightening that Thompson walked away from his repugnant Sea World excursion scot-free.

Several events specifically cater to kids, making this a fun excursion for the whole family.

I learned a lot about myself on that excursion , and from the trip as a whole.

There was, instead, a nauseating excursion into base and sad fantasies.

While a two-day feeding frenzy makes for a fun excursion , the human body is only capable of so much consumption.

Out gets Uncle David, looking brown and healthy after his northern excursion .

The other day an excursion was arranged to Sondershausen, a town about three hours' ride from Weimar in the cars.

We got back to Weimar about eight in the evening, and this delicious excursion , like all others, had to end.

To my friends ever since I have not failed to recommend the passage of the Butterley tunnel as a desirable pleasure excursion .

From childhood I had longed to see something of the world, and this excursion to Paris was the first gratification of that wish.

British Dictionary definitions for excursion

/ ( ɪkˈskɜːʃən , -ʒən ) /

a short outward and return journey, esp for relaxation, sightseeing, etc; outing

a group of people going on such a journey

(modifier) of or relating to special reduced rates offered on certain journeys by rail : an excursion ticket

a digression or deviation; diversion : an excursion into politics

(formerly) a raid or attack

a movement from an equilibrium position, as in an oscillation

the magnitude of this displacement

the normal movement of a movable bodily organ or part from its resting position, such as the lateral movement of the lower jaw

machinery the locus of a point on a moving part, esp the deflection of a whirling shaft

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Definition of excursion noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

• trip an act of traveling from one place to another, and usually back again: a business trip a five-minute trip by taxi
• journey an act of traveling from one place to another, especially when they are far apart: a long and difficult journey across the mountains
• A trip usually involves you going to a place and back again; a journey is usually one-way. A trip is often shorter than a journey , although it does not have to be: a trip to New York a round-the-world trip. It is often short in time, even if it is long in distance. Journey is more often used when the traveling takes a long time and is difficult.
• tour a journey made for pleasure during which several different places are visited: a tour of California
• commute the regular trip that a person makes when they travel to work and back home again: a two-hour commute into downtown Washington
• expedition an organized journey with a particular purpose, especially to find out about a place that is not well known: the first expedition to the South Pole
• excursion a short trip made for pleasure, especially one that has been organized for a group of people: We went on an all-day excursion to the island.
• outing a short trip made for pleasure or education, usually with a group of people and lasting no more than a day: My project team organized an afternoon outing to celebrate.
• an overseas trip/journey/tour/expedition
• a bus/train trip/journey/tour
• to go on a(n) trip/journey/tour/expedition/excursion/outing
• to set out/off on a(n) trip/journey/tour/expedition/excursion
• to take a(n) trip/journey/expedition/excursion

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Definition of 'excursion'

Video: pronunciation of excursion

excursion in American English

Excursion in british english, examples of 'excursion' in a sentence excursion, related word partners excursion, trends of excursion.

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In other languages excursion

• American English : excursion / ɪkˈskɜrʒən /
• Brazilian Portuguese : excursão
• Chinese : 短途旅行
• European Spanish : excursión
• French : excursion
• German : Ausflug
• Italian : escursione
• Japanese : 小旅行
• Korean : 짧은 여행
• European Portuguese : excursão
• Spanish : excursión
• Thai : การเที่ยวพักผ่อนหย่อนใจ, การเที่ยวช่วงสั้นๆ

Browse alphabetically excursion

• exculpatory
• excursion ticket
• excursion train
• excursionise
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Related terms of excursion

• boat excursion
• shore excursion
• fishing excursion
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ex·cur·sion

Ex•cur•sion.

A journey is the process of travelling from one place to another by land, air, or sea.

A trip is the process of travelling from one place to another, staying there, usually for a short time, and coming back again.

A voyage is a long journey from one place to another in a ship or spacecraft.

An excursion is a short trip made either as a tourist or in order to do a particular thing.

You make or go on a journey.

You take or go on a trip.

You make a voyage.

You go on an excursion.

Be Careful! Don't use 'do' with any of these words. Don't say, for example, ' We did a bus trip '.

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• Excursion Limit
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Meaning of excursion – Learner’s Dictionary

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(Definition of excursion from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Translations of excursion

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the nuts and bolts

the practical facts about a particular thing, rather than theories or ideas about it

Shoots, blooms and blossom: talking about plants

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What is a point spread in sports betting? Definition and examples

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Now that legal sports betting is becoming more accessible across the country, countless new bettors are attempting to learn the ropes. One of the most common and important bet types to know about is the point spread, which is a traditional way to place wagers on various sports.

In this article, we’ll discuss how to place point spread bets on any given game and how to find and read the best odds. We’ll also go over some key terms and provide an overview of the different ways that a point spread bet can settle. Most bettors rely on point spreads to some degree or another, so this simple and classic way to wager is a great place to start.

More on the Point Spread

What is a point spread bet, reading a point spread, point spread betting: terms you need to know, the three outcomes from a point spread bet, alternate point spreads, point spread faqs.

Simply put, a point spread is essentially a prediction made by the bookmaker of how many points will separate the winning and losing teams in a specific game or match. For instance, a spread of 6.5 points means that the favored team is projected to win by at least 6.5 points. It’s a great way for online sportsbooks to level the playing field in a game between mismatched teams that would not otherwise be worth betting on.

When you bet on the spread for the favorite, the team expected to win, you need them to win by more than the given number. When you bet on the underdog, the team expected to lose, you’ll win the bet if they win by any margin. Or, unlike a moneyline bet, you can win on a losing underdog as long as they lose by less than the point spread.

If you think two teams are more evenly matched than the sportsbook does, you should bet on the underdog. If you think that the projected margin is too short and that the favored team will run away with a comfortable win, they’re the ones you should put your money on.

How Do Half-Point Point Spreads Work?

You will often see a half-point in a point spread. This is done intentionally, so the final margin can’t land exactly on that number. In some cases, you will see whole-point spreads that may result in a “push” where the total score is exactly the predicted number, causing the sportsbook to refund both sides of the wager.

Examples of Point Spread Bets

Let’s take a look at a couple of examples. First, we’ll look at a hypothetical matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots. We’ll say the spread is 6.5 points, a common number in NFL and college football , given that games often come down to a touchdown.

The Chiefs would be favorites in this one, so their spread would be -6.5. The Patriots would be underdogs, so their line would be expressed as +6.5. If the Chiefs win by at least 7, a bet on their side of the spread wins. If any other outcome happens – a shorter Chiefs win, any Patriots win, or even a tie – a Patriots bettor wins.

Let’s take a look at another example that has a spread of exactly six points. We’ll make this game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Indianapolis Colts with the Rams favored with a line of -6. If the Colts lose by less than 6 or win, they cover, and if the Rams win by more than 6, they cover. Let’s suppose the Rams win by a score of 26-20, a margin of exactly 6.

This outcome is what we call a “push,” an outcome in which both sides were neither right nor wrong. How does the sportsbook handle this? By calling it a wash. Sports betting apps refund both sides, meaning there’s no profit or loss for the favorite bettors, underdog bettors, or even the sportsbook itself.

As we’ve alluded to in the above examples, the plus sign (+) is attributed to the underdog’s side of the line, meaning that the spread is the margin by which they’re expected to lose. So, a team with a line of +5.5 is expected to lose by 5.5.

Conversely, the minus sign (-) is for the favorite’s side of the line, meaning that the spread is their expected margin of victory. So if a team has a line of -5.5, they’re expected to win by 5.5.

There are a few terms you should know before you start point spread betting. We’ve briefly explained a few of them, but let’s dig into a devoted explanation of some of the key terms around point spread betting.

What’s a Favorite vs. an Underdog?

The two teams competing in a sporting event with a point spread other than 0 are categorized as the favorite and the underdog. The favorite is the team expected to win, presumably by a margin equal to the spread, while the underdog is who the sportsbook expects to lose.

If you bet on the favorite, you need them to win by more than the spread for the bet to win. If you bet on the underdog, you’re holding a winning bet if they lose by less than the spread or if they win outright by any margin.

What Is Vig? “Juice” Explained

The vig is the difference between the total implied probability from both sides in a spread bet and 100%. You might be confused as to why all the possible outcomes wouldn’t add up to 100%, because in theory, they should. However, sportsbooks will slightly manipulate the odds to give themselves a better shot at a profit.

Most spread bets will have odds of -110 on both sides. That means the implied probability is 52.38% on each side, meaning a total probability of 104.76%. That’s obviously impossible, but getting bettors to play with odds that are artificially short means that even if there’s the exact same number of bets on each side, the sportsbook will come out with some margin of profit.

The vig is unfortunate in a lot of ways from a bettor’s perspective, but there’s no way to fully avoid it. The one thing to keep in mind is that the vig won’t always be the same at every sportsbook. While it’s often at 20 cents, or -110, for each side as in the above example, it can commonly be as high as 30 cents, or -115 for both sides, for a total implied probability of nearly 109%.

Just be on the lookout for irregularly large vigs as you look between sportsbooks that have different point spreads to make sure you’re always getting the most favorable point spread odds possible.

When you bet on a point spread, one of three different things can happen; the favorite covers, the underdog covers, or in rare cases, a push occurs. What does each of these mean? Let’s take a look.

The Favorite Covers

Let’s say the Boston Celtics are favored by a line of -3.5 against the Los Angeles Lakers. If they win by four or more points, they cover the spread. If anything else happens, the Lakers cover. It can be tough for favorites to cover as they not only need to win but they also need to win in a comfortable fashion by pulling ahead by enough points.

The Underdog Covers

Now, let’s say that Duke basketball is favored by a line of -2.5 against North Carolina. If North Carolina won outright, they would certainly cover. If Duke won by one or two points, North Carolina would still cover. This is because the underdog does not have to win the game outright to cover a spread; they just have to lose by less than the spread, although a win works nicely, too.

This outcome is only possible if the point spread is a full number rather than a half-point. Let’s use an example where the spread is exactly three points; -3 for the favorite and +3 for the underdog. In this hypothetical, we’ll have the favorite win by exactly 3, the margin of the spread.

In this situation, all bets become “void.” No outcome results since both sides did not cover, meaning you would receive a refund for a bet on either team. Since you’d get your stake back and incur no profit or loss, it’s a no harm, no foul type of situation.

As you dive deeper into sports betting, especially on major sports, alternate lines are definitely something you’ll run into. How do these relate to point spread betting action?

An alternate spread is simply a number different from the standard one being offered. For instance, if the universal line is at -3.5 for the favorite, you could get them at an alternate spread of -2.5 for a bit more safety or -6.5 if you’re even more confident in them. Of course, a safer spread will result in a lower payout than the standard line, while a more aggressive bet will be more heavily rewarded if you win.

Essentially, an alternate spread is a great choice for two situations. The situation we discussed above is a key one; getting a spread below a key number, like that three-point threshold, since field goals make that one extra point on the spread such a big deal in football. Your betting odds would be shorter, but you’d be more likely to win.

Conversely, if the universal line is set at a number like -6.5, and you think that’s a bit light for the favorite and they can do better, getting an alternate line of -7.5 would give you a bit more risk but a shot at a higher payout.

While we hope that the sections above have provided you with plenty of helpful information regarding point spreads, we recognize that you might have some more questions about point spread bets.

Below, we’ve compiled some of the most frequently asked questions about point spread betting and answered them for your convenience:

What is a point spread bet?

A point spread wager starts with a predicted margin of victory between two teams in any sporting event; the bet is a prediction from the bettor as to whether or not the team will win by more or less than that amount.

Is point spread betting the most common bet type?

It’s hard to say whether it’s the number one most common bet type, but point spread bets are one of the most traditional ways to place wagers with sportsbooks.

What are some of the other most common bet types in sports betting?

In addition to point spreads, moneylines and totals are probably the simplest and most common types of bets. Parlays are a bit more complicated but also extremely common.

What does cover the spread mean?

For a favorite, covering means winning by more than the spread. For an underdog, covering means losing by less than the spread or winning outright by any margin. If your team covers the spread, your bet wins, so knowing when this happens or doesn’t happen is absolutely vital in terms of point spread betting.

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